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Examples of evidence

Studies of creative health approaches show the benefits for primary care:

  • Singing support for COPD and asthma led to a 21% decline in GP appointments six months after referral [1]
  • Movement and dance reduces the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, bringing potential savings of £157 million annually [2]
  • A social prescribing service focused on cardiovascular disease risk and mental health led to a 40% reduction in GP appointments [3]
  • Community gardening modified risk factors for musculoskeletal conditions through increases in physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, and reductions in stress [4], [5], [6]
  • Community-collected behavioural insights and collaboration between Primary Care Networks and local creatives successfully reduced the number of women who did not attend their breast screening appointments by up to 24% [7]
  • 96% of participants in a creative programme for people living with chronic pain reported a meaningful engagement in welling and 37% reported a decrease in GP visits [8]

Image Credit: Jonathan Kemper via unsplash

Creative health in practice

Developing innovative ways of working closely with communities has helped a GP practice in Bensham, Gateshead to overcome the challenge of a high number of patients with pressing social needs, made worse by COVID-19 and the cost-of-living crisis.

The GP practice worked with local systems and the wider community to develop personalised approaches to care. Link workers were introduced to support people with their specific social needs. Links were made to the VCSE sector and community assets which could help people to improve their health and wellbeing, for example through a community allotment, or through the provision of community clubs. 

Working in this way has benefited patients. It has also led to a decrease in demand for both A&E and GP services.

For the full story of this initiative see page 107 of the Creative Health Review 

Where next?

The NCCH has worked in partnership with NHS England to develop a Creative Health Toolkit >>

Practical strategies for implementing creative health in primary care settings: More information coming soon!

The National Centre for Creative Health

NCCH supports health and care sector professionals in organisations and systems to achieve the benefits of creative health approaches for patients and service users.

We publish a monthly newsletter especially created for professionals working across health and care. Please do subscribe here and/or share with colleagues working across Primary Care, Provider Trusts, ICBs, Public Health, Social Care and across the NHS, so they can access the latest news for creative health!

Downloadable information

Download this information sheet in PDF format

  1. All Party Parliamentary Group on Arts Health and Wellbeing, National Centre for Creative Health. Creative Health Review: How Policy Can Embrace Creative Health. 2023 December. Available from: https://ncch.org.uk/creative-health-review

  2. Boardman R, Balfour A, Farmer C, Hopkins S, Stamp K. Social Value of Movement and Dance. (2023) Sport + Recreation Alliance. Available from: https://sramedia.s3.amazonaws.com/media/documents/f393c7e4-5096-499a-9723-60824b6629ac.pdf

  3. Polley, M, Seers, H, Toye, O, Henkin, T, Waterson, H, Bertotti, M, Chatterjee, H. (2023) Building the economic case for social prescribing report. National Academy for Social Prescribing. p.47. Available from: https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/media/wemjbqtw/building-the-economic-case-for-social-prescribing-report.pdf

  4. All Party Parliamentary Group on Arts Health and Wellbeing, National Centre for Creative Health. (2023) Creative Health Review: How Policy Can Embrace Creative Health. Available from: https://ncch.org.uk/creative-health-review 

  5. Litt JS, Alaimo K, Harrall KK, Hamman RF, Hébert JR, Hurley TG, et al. Effects of a community gardening intervention on diet, physical activity, and anthropometry outcomes in the USA (CAPS): an observer-blind, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Planetary Health. 2023 Jan;7(1):e23–32. DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00303-5

  6. Alaimo K, Beavers AW, Coringrato E, Lacy K, Ma W, Hurley TG, et al. Community Gardening Increases Vegetable Intake and Seasonal Eating From Baseline to Harvest: Results from a Mixed Methods Randomized Controlled Trial. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2023 May;7(5):100077. DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.100077

  7. Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Anfield & Everton #BeBreastSavvyLiverpool Campaign. Available from:  https://www.lstmed.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Anfield%20%26%20Everton%20handout%20updated.pdf

  8. Artlift. Living Well With Chronic Pain. Available from: https://artlift.org/artlift-programmes/living-well-with-chronic-pain/